Reprise
by The Blasphemous Contessa
Summary: My interpretation of Zane's thoughts and actions during Hawksong. About halfway done and now that my copy has been replaced, updates should be quicker. Rating subject to change due to graphic dreams. Some violence and vague sexual references.
1. Prologue

**The Kiesha'Ra: Reprise**

**This is basically Hawksong through Zane's eyes. But unlike all the others, it will actually get finished sometime in the next 2 years!**

_**Prologue:**_

_They say that before we gained our second forms we had an even more powerful magic. The stories told to us as children are full of beauty, power, magic, and wonder. It is said that once, the Dasi of old could summon rain or fire, could call upon the heavens and earth at a whim. The old thirteen who worshipped the dual powers of Ahnmik and Anhamirak were possibly the most powerful mortals in existence._

_But then the powerful creature appeared. He called himself Leben and demanded that Maeve worship him alone. Of course she didn't agree, of course she found a way to protect her people. She seduced him. And he gave her – and all of us – our second forms, our longevity, seeming eternal youth. And he – however indirectly – damned us to thousands of years of war. _

_A war that has taken so much from me, from all of us. My brother never returned last night. What must I do to end the slaughter?_

_**Zane Cobriana**_

_Diente to the Serpiente_


	2. Chapter 1

**The Kiesha'Ra: Reprise**

**Randomhouse laughed at my pathetic bid for the rights to The Kiesha'Ra. So, until I come up with some more money, I do not own the original. Heck, I don't even own the idea for the fanfiction, I just own my interperetation of the characters.**

_**Chapter 1**_

I faded into the shadows as the avian princess and her guard entered the clearing, I knew it was the princess' habit to wander among the dead and dying of both sides. I could only imagine what she gained from it. Perhaps she gloated over the dying Serpiente? Maybe she kept a private account of the dead. Either way it was my brother she knelt before, cried over, sang to.

It was all I could do to remain hidden when she pulled out the knife, even though I could not hear the words, I understood the emotion in my brother's voice and face. He was asking the enemy to kill him. It was logical, he would not survive the wounds and the pain was likely to be excruciating, but I did not like the idea of this gilded statue of a woman ending the life of my last remaining brother.

An argument passed between the princess and the guard, it seemed my brother would die slowly and in pain after all, though not alone. I would rush to him the moment the princess and her escort turned their backs on a fallen foe. But no one made the move to leave. For five hours the heir to the avian throne, famed for emotionless reserve and icy poise, knelt in the blood and filth of the battlefield. For five hours the princess held the hand of a young enemy soldier as he died. For five hours Danica Shardae sang of a lifestyle that had been denied both of our peoples for millennia at least. Not once did she shrink from the scent of decay that now clung to her, and not once did she protest the surely uncomfortable position she must have been in.

Finally, as afternoon progressed into evening, my brother's chest ceased to rise and fall. The princess stood and turned away, wiping her face clean of the tears she had allowed and gathering her poise about her like a cloak, and once again surrounded by her guards flew toward the heavily guarded Keep where the remnants of the avian royal family resided.

I waited a few minutes to ensure they were really gone before rushing to my brother's body. The look on his face was almost peaceful; in fact he wore the look of pure infatuation I had seen on him in the past. I suppose it was not surprising that a dying man – boy – would, in his final moments, come to love the woman who comforted and eased his suffering, but something in my chest objected to the subject of my dead brother's ardor.

"Oh Gregory," I whispered to ears long past hearing. "I wish I knew how to keep the promises that I made you." Then I began the long task of bringing the body of the second to last prince of the Serpiente back to the palace – and our mother.

I had brought a horse and tied her to a nearby tree, far enough away not to panic or be discovered, but near enough that I easily carried my brother to her without feeling winded. Very gently, I hauled my brother's body across the back of the horse and secured him in a way that I hoped would not distract or inconvenience the mare. Even walking beside the horse the journey home was not in itself long. The brief miles were stretched in my mind by my own grief and guilt, but I had not been walking long when I sensed a pair of my people in the woods.

Having instinctually changed into my half-form at some point during the day, I recognized both serpents by scent. They were twin white vipers, and the most trusted and highest ranking of the Palace Guard. I had recently begun a tentative courtship of Adelina, the female twin and a formidable sparring opponent. Adelina sensed us first and nearly propelled herself into me. Without restraint she kissed me hard on the mouth, in front of her brother. Something I'm sure the avian princess would never have considered doing. As an afterthought she regarded my mare's burden.

"Gregory!" She gasped and her hand flew to her mouth as tears sprang to her eyes. Absentmindedly she stroked the corpse's hair, almost like Danica had earlier before gently touching her heart then her lips with her left hand then "with gentle Brysh may you find rest," she whispered, it was a type of prayer, one the white vipers had for the dead that was not shared with the rest of the Serpiente community. Throughout the exchange Adelina's twin, Ailbhe had maintained a respectful silence. Now he spoke.

"Sir, your mother sent us to find you. She worries." Ailbhe always did have a knack for understatement. Likely my mother was frantic and grieving having feared the worst and already lost three children to this war.

"Thank you." I didn't know exactly what to say to my guard and lover's brother at this moment in time, and so said nothing. "I should give her the sad news then." Somewhere in the back of my mind a plan was formulating. Long ago I had promised my younger brother and sister that I would find a way to end this war, that they would know peace in their lifetimes. Other than employing a few reluctant avian spies, I had done very little to secure that bright future I had promised them as children. Now Gregory would never see it, but I could still make peace real for Irene.

Over and again in my head I ran through scenarios. Sometimes I killed the avian Tuuli Thea and her daughter in their beds, though my conscience struggled with Danica's murder – she was not a soldier, she had not ordered any deaths, and from what I could tell was as unsettled by the constant destruction as I was. So no, I could not kill them in cold blood. Perhaps one of my spies knew something; one particular young woman had been close to the princess as a child and might be persuaded to impart some vital knowledge. Otherwise, my only other option was to employ outside assistance. My older brother had tried that with the Falcons, our ancestral cousins who now sided with the avians in this war. There was always the Mistari, I had already sent a messenger asking for advice and they'd agreed to meet with both sides of the conflict. I'd just need to send another messenger saying we accepted and were attempting to convince the avian royals to agree to meet us on their lands.

Before I had fully completed my plans we had reached the stables just outside the Palace. My sister was stroking the neck of a roan gelding and trying not to look as if she had been waiting since dawn. "Irene?" I called gently, I wasn't sure of she'd sensed us coming and didn't want to startle her. She jumped in surprise anyway.

"Let me see him." Irene demanded before the mare carrying Gregory had even been led inside. "I don't care how bad it is." With her arms crossed against her chest, feet apart and chin thrust in defiance, she looked so much like the little girl I remembered. I saw the girl who used to demand to be taken along when Anjay and I snuck out of the nursery at night. She was the trouble maker who always convinced Carson and Gregory to sneak out and follow us, the little girl who decided to teach herself to use a blade. Too bad there were no light hearted pranks or childish revelries to be had here. I nodded and stepped aside, my sister rushed past me and I could hear her begin to cry in earnest. Her little brother was dead. At least this time it was my fault.

"Huh?" I asked stupidly, while I had been reliving painful memories, Irene had been pelting me with questions. Suddenly my train of thought from earlier caught up with me and I shushed my sister impatiently. "I'm thinking," I told her holding up a single finger. The Mistari would not refuse us, in fact they had repeated their invitation several times in the last four years, if I sent a messenger to the Disa and Dio today, then another to the avians the day after Gregory's funeral we could have peace before the month was out. It would be too late for my brother, but I could still keep my promise to my sister.

"Devin?" I called to a messenger boy who was almost always found near the stables. "I need you to take a message to the Mistari, tell them that we are accepting their invitation to a peace talk and have sent someone to the avians. Tell them we are sorry for the rush but are quite sure the avians will want to meet as soon as possible." I dictated when the boy jumped to attention before me. I turned to Irene to explain, "The avian princess lost her brother in that battle as well, and I have it on good authority that she at least may be willing to negotiate peace."

Devin had already disappeared and Adelina was staring at me slack jawed. "How do you know they won't just kill the messenger without waiting to hear the proposal?" She asked, in her straightforward way.

"I'll go myself. I am more than capable of evading the incompetent guards the Tuuli Thea employs."

"They'd kill you the moment you walked through the doors!" She protested.

"So let them. Maybe then someone will be satisfied and this damn war will be over." If that was what it took I'd be a willing martyr, but I hoped to live to see the goal I was working toward achieved. "If that is all, I have to go break my mother's heart, again."

I was halfway down the familiar path to my mother's chambers when I heard light footsteps rushing after me. I turned, prepared for a fight, to find my sister looking stern and out of breath.

"You know, you have really long legs," she commented as she pulled even with me. "It makes running you down difficult, especially if I give you a head start." She grinned and swept some hair behind her ear.

"You could have called out or something," I replied falling easily into our old habits. "So what's burning?" I teased before biting the inside of my cheek. Fire was a touchy subject with Irene.

"You will be if you go through with this suicidal plan of yours." She retorted hotly. "Or is that what you want? Are you planning to leave mother and me completely alone?"

"What? No! Of course not, I'm just going to -" I attempted to explain before getting cut off.

"You are _going_ to get yourself killed!" She interrupted. "You know they won't stop to listen to you, they won't even confirm whether you're armed or not. You are the Arami to the Serpiente. They would be glad to get rid of you. And then what would your people do?"

"They're your people too," I acknowledged.

"But _you_ are the one who has been leading them for the past few years. You're the one they look to. No way am I letting you do it. I'm going." The way she said it, I knew there was no arguing with her, not that I didn't try.

Of course we had been walking as we argued and had been standing in front of my mother's door for the last few moments of our discussion, nonetheless we both jumped in surprise when the heavy wooden door opened and my mother asked "Going where?"

We both turned to look at her guilty and ashamed. It was obvious she already knew about Gregory, doubtless she had guessed when he hadn't returned for a night and day after a battle from which the wounded had long since limped away. She had lost another child, we had lost another brother, and here we stood arguing like children who both wanted the last pastry.

"Going where?" She repeated, sounding more like a stern matriarch than she ever had when we were young and always getting into trouble. I looked down at the familiar tone, but two fingers under my chin forced my eyes to meet hers. "Don't make me ask again," she warned.

Before I could answer, Irene did what could only be described as tattling. "Zane wants to personally deliver an invitation to a peace conference to the Tuuli Thea."

"You say that like it's a bad thing." To my mother I continued, "I already have an agreement with the Mistari, I just need to get the avians to agree to a meeting. And a royal's the only messenger they'll listen to."

"I'm listening," Mother said turning to Irene.

"They'd kill Zane on sight! But it is well known that I'm not a warrior, besides even an avian would hesitate before killing a woman in cold blood. Even if they suspect a trick they'd still hear me out."

To my surprise my mother nodded and asked Irene when she was going to leave. I protested, Charis may be my mother, but according to Serpiente custom I outranked her.

"You aren't honestly asking me to send my baby sister alone, unarmed, into the enemy's headquarters. Are you?" I looked from one face to the other wondering if they had both recently gone mad or it had been so gradual that I only just noticed. Irene placed a hand on my arm and I suppressed the urge to shake it off and leave for the Keep immediately. Instead, I waited for her to say her piece.

"You know my arguments are sound. Besides, I'm a better negotiator than you are." Instead of answering I turned to leave.

"I'll speak to you again after Gregory's service." As I put distance between myself and my mother's chambers I heard my mother and sister continue speaking as if they were having a pleasant conversation. I was sure I had lost this argument. _Some king I'll be._

When I reached my own rooms, Adelina was there waiting for me. Despite my initial misgivings, we had developed an intense emotional relationship as well as our physical one. There was something dark in her that unnerved me sometimes, but then there was hardly anyone alive that darkness had not touched. And Adelina comforted me like no other.

Afterward we held each other until sleep sent us to our own separate worlds. I had heard stories of lovers visiting each other in their dreams, it was said to be the mark of a truly intimate relationship. Adelina and I had been together for almost three years, and in that time the only ones to visit my dreams were the dead.

_Gregory was berating me. I should have been the one on that battlefield, I should have taught him better, I should have kept my promise sooner, I should have avenged his death. I should. . . _

_My father smiled at me, I tried to jump into his arms as I had when I was a child, but the moment I touched his flesh the skin began to sizzle. He turned to ash in my hands. _

_Sisal wept, there was a bloody gash across her abdomen and her guts spilled onto the dirt in front of her. A tiny infant lay lifeless in my sister's arms. I tried to comfort her but she didn't notice me. I tried to pile her intestine back into the gaping cavity, knowing it would do no good. She shot an accusatory glare in my general direction, but did not look directly at me. "I was going to name her Hope," Sisal whispered to no one in particular. My father and brother joined her, both bloated corpses now. As a unit the three turned to approach me, Sisal still cradling her murdered daughter._


	3. Chapter 2

**The Kiesha'Ra: Reprise**

**Thanks to orlibluver for reviewing. I'll try to keep it toned down, but Zane has vivid dreams (sometimes gory, and other times sexual). I also love writing Zane and Irene brother/sister moments. They're all over the place.**

**I still don't own, but that's ok with me.**

_**Chapter 2**_

"Zane!" A female voice whispered frantically nearby. The voice was a familiar one but I couldn't quite place her just yet. I was still trying to escape my deceased family. I gasped and opened my eyes, throwing myself forward.

Fully awake now, I looked for the source of the voice. There, beside me. White haired Adelina clutched a blanket to her chest; she was looking at me as if I had suddenly sprouted feathers. "What…?" I began with some confusion. I was not one to call out in the night.

"You were shuddering; it was like you had palsy or something. I was ready to call for a doctor." She explained haltingly. "Dreams?"

Adelina knew that I had nightmares, but I had never described them to her. Rather than answer I asked what time it was.

"Just before dawn," she replied. I rose and began to dress. Gregory's funeral would be starting soon. I could at least be on time to my brother's memorial.

I was not the first to arrive at the funeral pyre, nor was I the last by any means. Among those crowded near the front of the clearing were Angelise and Tristan, my brother's personal body guards and closest friends. There had been some speculation as to Gregory and Angelise being more than mere friends, and now she was crying almost as hard as my mother. Tristan had been with Gregory on the field and only barely managed to make it alive. He was being supported by two fellow soldiers and looked as if even then he might not be able to make it through the whole service.

As the fire began to truly consume the body that no longer housed my brother's soul, the other mourners faded into the shadows. Some were only giving the family distance; others leaving now that their parts were done. My mother and sister held on to me from both sides, we were engaged in a bizarre three-way embrace. The fire died out and we turned away to walk together toward the palace.

The service, which included all the other soldiers killed within the last two days, had lasted most of the day. The sun had set by the time I had escorted my mother and Irene back to their rooms. On the walk we had discussed our argument from the night before, still choked from my dreams, I allowed them to talk me into sending Irene in my place.

Rather than return to my own room – and Adelina – I decided to wander the market for a few hours. The market's usual festive air was much subdued. We had lost more soldiers in that last battle than we had in other recent ones, almost everyone was mourning someone. Even the dancers were respectful and quiet. Aisha, the most irreverent of her guild, was performing a simple dance, one meant to illustrate the cycle of life and comfort those left behind. I watched for a few minutes, but disappeared into the crown before the dance was over. I did not want talk to anyone just yet.

It was fully dark and the moon had just risen when I saddled one of my favorite horses, a strawberry roan. I had intended only to go on a short ride as I often did before bed, but before I realized it, Peony had started along the familiar path that led to the Keep. We had ridden this trail together often over the past four years and I saw no reason to turn around. Using my usual method, I was soon in the princess hawk's private chambers.

One of the first things I noticed was that Danica was not sleeping well. She rarely did, at least when I was here. Perhaps I brought my nightmares with me. I was briefly amused by the thought of tormenting my beautiful enemy before I thought that perhaps she had reasons of her own for tossing and turning at night. I saw fresh tears on the golden maiden's cheek tonight. Perhaps she cried in her sleep as her people would not allow her to in the daytime.

I sat and watched her for hours; the sky had lightened with false dawn before her dreams became truly disturbing. I could tell by the way her tears flowed without her seeming to notice. Once or twice I was sure she whispered a name, a fallen friend or relative? I would probably never know, or have occasion to ask.

I felt another presence on the other side of the door and moved to escape onto the balcony before I realized that Danica had stopped thrashing, I turned and saw that she was wide awake and frozen rigid, staring at me. She opened her mouth and shut her eyes. I swung over the balcony railing before she had even begun to scream. I gripped the climbing vines tightly and listened, waiting for Danica to inform the guard who had burst into the room that I had been there.

Instead, they had an exchange very similar to the one I'd had with Adelina so many hours before. Suddenly I was so very tired; it had been more that twenty-four hours since I'd slept last. Carefully, I climbed down the trellis and crept through the woods to the small clearing where I had left Peony. Making my way back to the Palace was more difficult that sneaking into the Keep had been just a few hours before. By the time I made it back, Irene had already left. Exhausted I crawled into my bed, glad that Adelina was out patrolling somewhere.

Rather than the usual nightmares that plagued me, especially after a funeral, I was haunted by dream of another sort. For the hours I spent unconscious, I had repeated visions of myself in various compromising positions with a certain avian. Had I been conscious I would have been confused, erotic dreams about a soulless bird? As it was, I marveled instead at the minute detail my subconscious had chosen to entertain me with. In between poses and tableaus I had other dreams, still starring Danica, but in a very different role. In these dreams, I saw Danica as the queen she would become someday soon, beautiful and controlled, but caring and wise. I dreamed she convinced her mother and a guard whose counsel was being sought to agree to my planned meeting with the Mistari. Her arguments were sound but, as it was in dreams, I thought I detected something in her that had not been present the times I had watched her in secret.

When I wasn't dreaming of doing things to her that I doubt she'd ever heard of, I dreamed she was having a friendly conversation with Irene, learning to dance from Aisha, or playing with a russet haired toddler who was both familiar and completely alien to me. But mostly I dreamed of her calling out my name, and writhing with pleasure. Once I awoke I was a bit ashamed of myself.

Instead of dwelling on things I could not change, I went in search of breakfast. It was well past noon by then, so I had heavier food than I really liked in the morning. But of course I had eaten so little the day before that I ate more than I had anticipated being able to swallow.

I had just cleared away my dishes and gone in search of my mother when Irene nearly collided with me. She was flushed and a little sweaty from her run through the palace but she did not even stop to catch her breath when she recognized me.

"They agreed! We're going. Go pack, we leave tomorrow!" She gasped between each word and did not wait for her exclamation to register before going in search of our mother. I'd get the full story later.

Rerouting to go shove a few changes of clothes into a rucksack I found Adelina glaring at me from her post outside my door. "Where were you last night? No one could tell me anything." She accused before I had a chance to say anything to her.

"I went for a ride," I shrugged; I did not have to explain myself to my guard, even if she was also my lover. "You should pack; we're meeting with the Mistari and avians as soon as we can get there." Adelina stared at me with more surprise than anger now.

"How'd you manage that?" She demanded. Her tone was still somewhat accusatory.

"You'll have to ask Irene. I intend to on the ride tomorrow."

"When are we supposed to be there? It will take us two weeks. We won't be there for a fortnight even if we leave right now!"

"No doubt the Tuuli Thea planned it that way on purpose. Now are you going to pack or are we leaving you behind? You and Galen are to be our only escorts. Unless you don't want to go?" I was bluffing I knew Adelina would trust no one else to guard us for two weeks. Not even Ailbhe.

During the fourteen day ride into Mistari lands, Irene informed me of quite a few things. First she described the way Danica talked a guard, the one named Andreios she'd had with her the day Gregory dies, and her mother into agreeing to the meeting. Irene's tale was strangely similar to my dream, or at least the tamer bits. Even her ridiculous deadline was fitting with the scene I'd dreamt. But such things were heard of only in ballads and tales.

On the third day of our journey, after we'd set up camp for the night, Irene came to my tent to tell me of something else she'd discovered.

I looked up polishing my already spotless dirk. I didn't anticipate any fighting, but I liked to keep my weapons in perfect form. I hadn't sought Adelina's company since Gregory's funeral and so I was surprised when someone clapped outside my tent. I could tell by the shadow on the canvas wall that it was my sister so I admitted her immediately.

She was pale, her already fair skin was drained of any color and her hands shook slightly. I've seen my sister worried, nervous, upset, and scared, but never had I seen anything like this outright terror. Not even when little Carson had died and she crawled in with me every night to make sure I was still there. Without hesitation I jumped to my feet, blade drawn, and pulled her further inside the tent.

"What is it?" I demanded while scanning for intruders. "What's wrong?" Irene wheezed a strange sound, sort of like a strangled laugh that was choking on tears. "Are you hurt?" I knelt in front of Irene and grabbed her arms. I could see no injuries, there was no blood and she did not move as if in pain. "Did something happen with Galen?" I could find no wound, all was quiet in our little camp, and I could not think of anything that could upset my sister this badly. She was tough for all that she was a princess and had never received any warrior training. Though I supposed if she and her mate had quarreled badly enough she could be hurt and scared enough to come find me. But that still didn't account for the abject terror written in her features. Unless. . . "Did he hurt you in any way?" I finally asked. _I'm going to kill that-_

"No it's nothing like that," Irene hastened to assure me, no doubt reading my own thoughts in my face. "I'm sorry for scaring you like that. It's silly really. I should be happy not scared." She laughed a little nervous laugh that did nothing to reassure me. She was speaking too quickly and stumbling over words. She couldn't keep her hands still, and if there was one thing the cobra was not, it was fidgety. Sometimes she was almost as reposed as a bird.

"Well, now that we've covered the list of what _isn't _bothering you, let's get to what _is_." I suggested, lightly.

"Oh, right. Well I feel really stupid now. It's almost anticlimactic after all of that." She began; looking much calmer now. "I'm going to have a baby."

My heart stopped. I stared at her uncomprehendingly. A moment passed, then two. I took a breath. "You mean?"

She nodded. "You're going to be an uncle!" she exclaimed, trying to sound lighthearted. But now her fear from a moment ago entered me. I'd heard that exclamation before almost five years ago now. Our older sister, Sisal, had been gutted by an avian assassin for the crime of carrying a child with royal blood. That same blood flowed through the entire Cobriana line including myself and Irene. Not even a pregnant woman is safe during a war.

I was scared for my sister and unborn niece or nephew's lives. But then I'd always been scared for the lives of those around me. Recently I'd been given less reason to worry than usual.

"Well, it's a good thing we're headed to a peace talk." I answered finally. My attempt at light-heartedness was clearly not appreciated, because my sister punched me in the arm. Hard. And I'd thought she'd had no more than the standard practical self-defense lessons. "So, are you going to name it after me?" I asked with a smile.

"Zane, please be serious," she requested in her most school-matronly manner. "I'm pretty sure we have nothing to be worried about. After all, Danica seemed perfectly rational and we_ are_ headed to peace talks. But what about after, what if the meetings don't go well? What then?"

"We'll take each day as it comes, just like we always have. And we won't announce anything for a few months, even if the talks succeed." She nodded, looking stronger and surer than she had in days. Now that I thought about it she'd been acting jumpy and strange for over a week. "How long have you known anyway?"

"I didn't know for sure until today. I guessed about two weeks ago, but I couldn't know that I wasn't just stressing myself out. And I didn't want to get anyone's hopes up." She fled my tent and returned to her own before I could ask her anymore questions. Or remember where babies came from. I knew logically that my sister and Galen were sleeping together. They were an officially recognized mated pair and had been together for two years before that. My species wasn't the kind to sleep alone. Even the past two days have been hard on me; we needed physical closeness the same as we needed air or food. It came from our other sense. The one that detected – and some scholars believed fed on – the emotions and nearness of others.

It was one of the things that separated us from the avians other than our second forms. We thrived on touch, passion, even fleeting contact and the everyday range of emotions; they shunned them. So while I considered myself comfortable with the assumption that Irene was not sleeping alone, I was also a little appalled at the proof that someone had seen her naked, on several occasions.

Somewhat emotionally drained from my evening chat with Irene, I did not refuse Adelina's company when she clapped outside my tent after her watch. Though we were both too tired for more than sleep, I found that I had missed her company, and awoke feeling better than I had in days. This was good because we still had the better part of a long journey in front of us and as if it sensed our knowledge, Irene's pregnancy decided to make itself known in a big way. We travelled an agonizing fifty miles that day; stopping every half hour for someone to duck behind a bush is not the way to expedite a journey.

Two days later our pace began to pick up as we entered the flat grassy plains that surrounded the Mistari homeland. Feeling frisky, no doubt the slow pace had wearied them as well, our mounts decided to race off and on for the rest of the journey. As we were sure to be late to our own meeting, none of us complained. Not even Irene who was sure to feel every bump and jolt let on that she was anything less than pleased with our new pace.

As it was, we arrived in the outskirts of the capitol city of the Mistari a day ahead of schedule and had a chance to rest our horses and settle into our rooms. The Palace was a massive boulder that had been hollowed out and decoratively carved. Somehow even in this intense heat the inside of the building that housed the royal family was cool and airy. Somehow the windows had been cut so that even the innermost hallways were lit by nothing more than a single torch in the corner where two passages met.

Once we had met the Disa and Dio and observed all the usual pleasantries of two groups of rulers meeting for the first time, we heard that the avian group had arrived ahead of schedule as well. Having arrived first we were given first choice of seating arrangements and chose a soft pile of cushions on the far side of the room from the door. This way we could see the other group as it entered. I made myself comfortable and watched as Danica Shardae, flanked by three guards and her mother, made her way into the dimly lit hall. I knew that it would take her an almost imperceptible moment to adjust to the change in lighting. She quickly scanned my companions with a dismissive air before inspecting me as fully as I had ever examined her.

I took in her outfit, comfortable clothes for travel that were also fine enough to be worn to a meeting with dignitaries, nothing flashy she wasn't trying to impress us, but there was nothing slovenly or even casual about her appearance either. Her choice in clothing was interesting, light and airy, whatever the material was it draped like silk. The low back and short sleeves displayed muscular arms and a pleasing figure, her bone structure was very fine, she looked like I could pick her up with one hand. I probably could, avians had hollow bones in both their human and bird forms and the hawk was not bulky. She probably weighed as much as a twelve-year-old black mamba.

Catching my eye, and noting the direction of my gaze, the innocent princess colored prettily. I smirked imagining her reaction to her starring role in some of my recent dreams. One of her guards (the tall, dark haired young man who is constantly at her side) glared at me and removed us from each other's eye line. I noticed the gentle way he gripped her shoulder and the fact that she didn't even react when he touched her even though she flinched when one of the other guards came within easy reaching distance of her. _Perhaps he is her mate or Alistair as the avians call them,_ I thought and revised my tactics.


	4. Chapter 3

**The Kiesha'Ra: Reprise**

**This is it. Danica and Zane are FINALLY both conscious in the same room at the same time! All dialogue taken directly from the book will be in italics. Of course, this chapter in the book is mostly dialogue, but that's boring, so I skipped over and only implied a few passages. For some reason Microsoft Word finds a lot of the italicized passages to be grammatically incorrect.**

_**Chapter 3**_

I could see Danica's blush from across the room, and noticed that she touched her cheeks with the backs of her hands. It amused me to think I could affect her so strongly. I was already making plans to approach her, broach her mind and find out exactly how much power I had over her.

The Mistari Disa interrupted my thoughts and I turned my attention to her as she rose to welcome us. Already Galen and Adelina were grumbling, neither thought any good could come of us meeting with the avians and Irene and I had to glare at them just to quiet them enough to be able to hear the Disa. I suspected Irene kicked Galen, I saw him wince. She addressed my mother first, _"Charis, you are Naga are you not?"_

My mother answered affirmatively and deflected attention to me. I was content to let her take charge of this meeting, but perhaps she felt that since it was my idea it was to be my show, so to speak. Had I been raised an avian, I was sure I would have been embarrassed to be asked the next question; they had some atrocious notions regarding love and mating.

I met the Disa's eye and answered firmly. _"Taking a mate in the middle of this war would be giving a woman a death sentence in return for her love. I've learned from experience that even a woman with child is not safe from the killing, not when she's carrying a cobra's blood." _My nightmare flashed through my mind again, only this time it was Adelina who had been gutted in an attempt to end the Cobriana line. The Disa stopped for a moment, no doubt startled by my words. The Mistari had never known the countless generations of hatred and bloodshed that had plagued Serpiente and avians alike. After a breath she nodded and turned to question the avian delegation.

I watched in amusement as Danica turned a brighter red with each word the Tuuli Thea and Disa exchanged. _Why would succession be such an embarrassing topic?_ I wondered. It wasn't until Nacola Shardae had launched into some rambling explanation of why Danica was going to be queen "soon" that I remembered a strange fact I had heard mentioned somewhere. The avian Tuuli Thea ascended the throne when she'd had her first child. Though she would be little more than a figurehead until the child had been weaned and turned over to servants and maids to raise. The little hawk was embarrassed because they were speaking of pregnancy and childbirth. I noticed the crow who guarded her also colored a little. He was not her Alistair then, but he wanted to be.

The Disa nodded again, taking in the entirety of our situation with only the few words we had spoken. She was not considered the wisest of the wise for nothing. So I was surprised when she asked a question to which the answer seemed obvious. Why did we need her help? I answered immediately.

"_Even if every one of us wants peace, our people would rather fight than be taken by surprise. Among my own guards," _I quickly glanced at Adelina before continuing. She had spent most of the week complaining about how this was a waste of time and possibly even a trap, _"there is strong doubt as to how far we can trust the avians, and among my people there is even speculation as to why I would want to make peace."_

The Disa looked to Danica next, she seemed slightly uncomfortable with her role as leader of the avian delegation, though it was probably my imagination since avians never displayed feelings, that is if they felt them at all. _"We were barely able to control our soldiers the last two weeks. They don't believe the Serpiente can be trusted, and unless we either give them permission to fight again, or we find some way to convince them that the Cobriana family and their people really want peace, my mother and I won't have the power to keep them from going against us."_

I raised an eyebrow as the princess spoke. How could they allow their soldiers so much power over them? The Disa and Dio conferred for a moment on their dais and though they tried to be discreet, I caught a few words here and there.

The Dio paraphrased our explanations of moments go and asked, quite mildly, what we were willing to give. The hawk princess answered "_anything_" just a breath before I could say _"everything." _I was thinking of all the bloody battlefields I had seen, all the friends and comrades I had left behind on those fields all the weeping mothers at the funeral grounds and all the proud young soldiers who never saw a second battle. I was really and truly willing to sacrifice any- and everything to never have another dead friend or relative berate me in my dreams.

"_When you have hatred you need to start at the heart to mend it. Similarly, when you have a rift between people as great as you have, the only way to bridge the gap is to start at the center."_ I felt I caught a bit of the meaning behind the words, the Disa was about to suggest something that no one here would agree to. Despite my hope for peace, I doubted I could be civil to the avians, much less friendly.

Still I was shocked by what was announced next. The Mistari Disa, wise woman and leader of infamously peaceful people had just suggested that I take Danica Shardae as my mate in order to end a millennia old war. The room turned to chaos. Guards and mothers jumped to their feet and yelled.

Someone said, "_I think that's an absurd idea," _quite loudly. I was surprised to find that the voice was my own. Also surprising was that I had not heard Danica utter a single complaint. In the midst of all the turmoil, she was a serene island. Danica looked horrified, and why shouldn't she? But she did not argue or color. She just sat as her party argued around her and stared at nothing with wide eyes.

Quite abruptly we were thrown out of the chamber and lead to our rooms by polite but firm Mistari servants. Or guards, it was hard to tell. Once we returned to the rooms granted to us by the Mistari I kissed Adelina to reassure her of my unwillingness to follow the Disa's suggestion. As soon as she left for guard duty, even here she did not trust anyone else with my safety, I crept away in search of the avian princess.

It was child's play to slip past the Mistari guards; they were clearly foreign to the notion of assassins. The avian guards were more watchful, but they trusted their hosts. It also didn't hurt that as long as I moved slowly my scales blended perfectly into the dark shadows where black stone wall met black stone floor. Someone should alert the Mistari to the weakness of their defenses.

I had made it unnoticed into Danica's room but she shuddered and turned before I had even begun to return to my human form. _Even a sleeping mouse wakes and knows when a cat is nearby._ I was pleased to find that Danica had not changed out of the simple outfit she had worn during the meeting; I knew from experience that her sleepwear was much less exciting.

"_What do you want?"_ she demanded quite rudely. I was surprised, she usually screamed when I appeared out of the shadows. But then, I suppose she felt secure in the temporary truce we were under. Partly to assuage her fears, and partly because I was tired I threw myself at the pillows that littered the floor of her temporary room.

"_I decided you and I should talk,"_ I informed her in a whisper. Any louder and I would alert her guards to my presence. I wasn't quite ready to be forcibly removed from her presence. _"Sit down, Danica. I'm not going to ravage or bite you or whatever it is you're thinking."_

She gracefully folded her legs beneath her and sat much closer to me than avian custom allowed. She was still far enough away that I could just barely hear her heartbeat. Danica's eyes, a dark gold, had dilated to the point that there was hardly any iris visible and her breathing was rapid. Her fight-or-flight response was kicked into high gear. As entertaining as it was to watch her bosom rise and fall, I forced my attention to her face.

"_Talk?" _she asked hesitantly.

"_We were thrown out of the Mistari hall quite abruptly,"_ I reminded her, _"and in all likelihood the same will happen tomorrow unless we have some discussion prior."_

"_Continue,"_ she allowed slowly no doubt wondering as to my intentions. Something I should have figured out beforehand. Stalling I decide to start with something inconsequential.

"_Did you know there are four guards outside your door, Danica?" _She didn't just look surprised, she looked disbelieving. _"I thought not. The Mistari added their own people to yours. They're all incompetent really, or I wouldn't be here, but it would have been tricky to catch you alone tomorrow. And since you're the only one in your group who demonstrated any sense, you seemed the one to talk to."_ The hawk just barely avoided rolling her eyes at me. She impatiently bade me to continue.

"_What is it you want to talk about?"_

"_About life and about death."_ I answered lightly, not giving her a chance to reply. _"About the fact that my people mean more to me than anything else, and I would do almost anything to end this foolish war. I want to talk about the world, and most specifically, about you."_

"_Me?"_ she seemed surprised, but then what else would I have wanted to talk to her about?

I sighed, I may not like the idea, but if the Mistari thought it was worth merit then I would at least talk about it. _"Of course you. If the Mistari Disa's proposal is even to be considered, I would like to know what I would be getting myself into."_

"_I believe you already expressed your opinion on the subject,"_ Danica lapsed into a bored and formal sounding tone. I was impressed; if it weren't for my kind's other abilities I would have thought she felt nothing at all about me or the Mistari's proposal. I was also a little bit flattered that she had even noticed my reaction in the midst of all the outbursts.

"_And I believe my first reaction is probably still correct. It_ is_ an absurd idea, but that is no doubt why it has never been tried." _I could see minute changes in her facial expression though I couldn't quite place the exact feeling. _"I'm not saying I'll go along with it,"_ I reassured her hastily, before continuing, _"but it does have some potential."_

"_And what exactly do you think you are 'getting yourself into'?" _She asked coldly, wrinkling her nose in distaste. Something about her utter disdain for me made her even more appealing. Clearly, I am a masochist. But still, the hawk princess was not unattractive.

The better part of an hour passed with me in Danica's room. Our conversation was part flattery, part intimidation, and part subtle threat. I took especial pleasure in revealing to Danica just how exposed she was, even in her own room. And it was a lovely room, with handcrafted silk pillows, and an oaken chest that sat at the foot of her bed; even her draperies were heavy and luxurious. I had just finished describing her own most personal room to her when she finally asked the most obvious question.

"_How?"_

"_I've been there, I've seen it. The Hawk's Keep isn't the easiest place in the world to sneak into, but I have a talent for such things." _I bragged mildly, watching her shock and confusion drift slowly towards fear. I'm sure she now felt quite violated as well. _"I nearly got myself caught the first time, trying to figure out how to get to the first floor, but luckily avian guards don't often look _up_ for an enemy. From there, there are servant staircases. You don't even keep your door locked, Danica." _I informed her in a chiding tone. Really, if I had wanted to kill her, ending her life could have been so simple any of the numerous times. I had even steeled myself to do so on several occasions. I gestured as I spoke and on occasion found myself touching her cheek or smoothing her hair. It seemed that Danica was too enraptured by my words to protest the intimacy of such a gesture. Still I continued my story.

Of course Danica didn't want to believe me, she even stated as much and I was forced to describe my first visit to the sleeping princess' sanctuary. I didn't tell her about my sister's murder, but rather my brother's death when he stormed into the keep to avenge her. _"For your birthday, my brother died."_ I did not say the words accusingly, as I would have even a few weeks ago. I understood now that she'd had about as much to do with my loved ones' deaths as I had with hers, less even since she was neither a warrior nor the one who made decisions. Then came the part I was dreading, she asked me why I hadn't killed her.

I still did not know exactly why I had not killed her that first night, or any of the other nights I had visited her since. I told myself that I was not a killer, not really. I told myself that I would not murder someone in their sleep, in cold blood. I had justified, telling myself that she was not a warrior. But when it came down to it, I simply could not kill her. This one woman who would soon be the driving force behind every enemy I faced, and I was too smitten with heartless, superficial beauty to save countless warriors from a needless death.

But then, maybe she wasn't so heartless. I tried to explain in the least incendiary terms I could. I described what I was feeling that night, the way she had looked, the way I'd felt looking at her, but somehow the words weren't quite right.

"_Why are you telling me this?"_ She asked in a far away voice. I knelt before her and heard her gasp in surprise. Of course her position would not allow her to jump away from me. I decided to just speak the words I'd been unable to voice since the day Gregory died.

"_You didn't start this war, Danica, and neither did I. It's been going on so long it's meaningless; people fight because they don't know what else to do. People fight because their leaders fight, and then their leaders die and they have more reason to go on."_ I suddenly found myself gripping her hands, though I was not conscious of having reached out. _"Danica, my sister Irene is carrying a child. She was white with fear when she told me. It's an even that should bring joy . . . but everyone in my family just remembers an avian soldier plunging his knife into my oldest sister's swollen belly."_ Danica opened her mouth to say something, perhaps apologize or maybe denounce the soldier. But the words would not change anything so I hushed her quickly. _"No apology is necessary, Danica. I'm going back to the Mistari Hall tomorrow evening. My mother, sister, and guards will not be there to argue with the Disa and me. I hope you'll be there, and that you'll listen to what she has to say. What she suggests . . . it might work. I'm just asking you to give the idea a chance." _Danica hesitated. I knew she wouldn't have made such a choice for herself but then neither would I. I also knew she would do just about anything to end the war, as I would. So I pulled out my final argument. _"Please, Danica? You sang to my brother of peace and hope. I can't believe that you aren't as desperate for those things as I am. Just . . . try."_

"_I will try,"_ she whispered nodding.

"_Thank you."_ I was overcome by some strange emotion, not quite gratitude, but something stronger. Before I realized what I was doing I stepped forward and lightly kissed her cheek. As soon as I did it I knew that I had made a mistake. Danica voiced a loud, wordless protest. She silenced herself almost immediately but it was too late.

That shout instantly brought two of the Royal guard into the room.

I backed away from Danica, ready to defend myself if necessary but unwilling to put her in the middle of a fight. As far as I knew she would be defenseless if caught between two seasoned warriors. I looked for an opening I could slip through without incurring violence, but before I had the chance Danica stepped in front of me.

"_There's no trouble here, I was just about to escort Zane out, anyway,"_ she informed her guards in a tone that would allow for no argument. Whatever power her guards had over her, they still had to submit to her authority. I relaxed marginally and was able to reply smoothly when prompted.

"_Thank you for speaking with me at such a late hour, Danica."_ I did not allow myself to relax completely, however and was hyper aware of my own muscles as well as minute hints in the guards' bodies as to what their next moves would be. I offered Danica my arm, begging her with my eyes as I did so.

One guard moved to allow us to pass but the other; the one who seemed _fond _of the princess intentionally blocked my path. I elbowed my way past him and ignored his glare. Rather than trade dirty looks with the avian, I wrapped an arm around Danica's waist and kissed her hard on the mouth. After releasing her, I nodded a polite good evening and changed shape as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. I was still near enough to hear part of Danica's conversation with the guard. Enough to know that his name was Rei and that Danica was aware of his affection for her. Undoubtedly she was clueless as to just how strongly she affected the males around her, but then what could one expect of someone raised among the ever-so polite avians?


	5. Chapter 4

**The Kiesha'Ra: Reprise**

**Thanks to orlibluver for consistently reviewing and thus assuring me that my mom is NOT the only person who reads my work. Sorry for the delay, but you should know that I suck. Also, this chapter is about 1,000 words or a page and a half shorter than usual, mostly because I wante to have soemthing to post, and because this part of the book is really boring to me.**

_**Chapter 4**_

The next morning I dressed with extra care and was about to make my way to the Mistari hall when I was stopped by a young tigress who informed me that the avian party had left in the dead of night. No doubt Nacola found my presence in Danica's rooms distasteful.

Charged with the duty of bearing unpleasant news, I sought out my mother and sister. Incidentally they were in the first place I looked playing a card game with Adelina and Galen, I figured the guards must know as well and did not dismiss them to talk.

"Oh Zane," my mother greeted me, laying her cards face down on the table, "back so soon? So your talk was successful?"

I shook my head and found a semi-comfortable seat on a low cushion. "They left in the middle of the night." I informed the room at large.

"I knew you couldn't trust a bird to keep its word," Galen muttered, wincing when Iren kicked him.

"Well good, then you don't have to marry _Her Highness" _Adelina sneered. For some strange reason my lover had taken an instant dislike to our ancestral enemy and my would-be-bride. Unfathomable, I know.

"Why did they leave so suddenly?" Irene asked as if the answer didn't really matter. This of course meant she was dying to know and had some inkling I was involved somehow.

"I'm not sure. Perhaps the Tuuli Thea took exception to the fact that I was having a conversation with Danica Shardae in her personal chambers at some ungodly hour of the night. Either that or they didn't like the cheese," I shrugged.

"What were you doing in _Danica Shardae's_ room?" Adelina shrieked accusatorily. I noticed she spit Danica's name like a curse but was otherwise unfazed by the outburst.

"Talking," I answered simply. I did not need to explain myself to my guard. "I think we've made some progress. But, it's time to go home now so I guess we'd best start packing."

That was three days ago, we had now been on the road long enough to be sick of each other, not that we weren't already. We were all ready to return to the palace and life as usual, maybe talk to someone other than the same four people. I also have this to say about travelling, tents do not insulate sound very well.

The rest of the journey was very monotonous, other than a few remarks from Galen or Adelina about the proceedings in the Mistari lands; no one had much of anything to say. After far too many hours in each others' presence we reached the border that separated Serpiente lands from the avian holdings and were finally allowed to go our own ways. It was nearing moonrise so I stopped in the stables long enough to change horses to a nameless dun mare and followed the old Desmodus paths to the avian Keep. By now I knew my way well enough that I did not need to pay much attention to my surroundings until I was within sight of the tower and the soldiers who guarded it at all hours.

The horse obeyed me through the entire trip, but shied at the unfamiliar scent of avians, clearly it had never been in battle or encountered anything quite like them before and as most horses was uncomfortable with the unfamiliar.

"Shhhh," I hissed at the mare in what I hoped was a comforting tone as I tied her to a tree in easy walking distance from the Keep but far enough away not to be spotted by some overzealous rooky guard.

From there I continued on foot the trip I had made so many times that I could retrace my footsteps backwards and blindfolded. I made a little more noise than usual as I made my way from the ground floor to the first and was worried I's be noticed when I remembered how horribly lax and incompetent (if controlling) the Royal Flight was.

I made my way to Danica's room to find her in the throes of a nightmare as usual. Sometimes I wondered what thoughts and memories plagued her unconscious mind but other times I decided I didn't need any more ammunition for my own nocturnal torments, though Danica had made a token appearance or two since the last time I was here.

To my surprise, the hawk princess sat up without warning and looked me straight in the eye.

"_Please don't scream_," I requested. To my surprise she didn't, instead she swallowed and _glared._

"_What do you _want_?_" She demanded. I was surprised that she heeded my pleading instead of immediately calling for the semi-conscious guard outside her door.

"_I should think you would know that,_" I responded softly, it didn't come out quite as flippantly as I had hoped, in fact I sounded a bit desperate to my own ears. Not that it mattered, something about Danica seemed off, her eyes were unfocused and her expression was more puzzled and frustrated than cold or wary as it would have been in the daylight hours.

"_You don't seem dangerous enough to warrant my mother dragging me out of the Mistari camps in the middle of the night,_" she mused out loud. _Maybe she's drunk,_ I thought with amusement. But still I decided to play along in case her brain was merely taking it's time in joining her body in wakefulness.

"_I don't?"_ Instead of answering, she began to pace. Rather quickly, actually. Whatever it was, Danica was not well. _"Danica, are you alright?"_

"_Is there any reason I should be?"_ she asked as if I were a particularly slow and annoying child. Actually, she almost yelled. I do believe I was witnessing an avian losing her temper. I grew more concerned as her outburst continued, if she got any louder her guard would wake and come rushing it at any moment. But I was impressed. For the first time I was having an honest conversation with this woman with whom I was quite frankly obsessed. Both parties were conscious and Danica had dropped her avian mask. It turns out she is as disheartened by the constant slaughter as I had always thought her to be. _"But I am nearly Tuuli Thea and once I am that will be my entire life. War. Death. And _I don't know how to stop it." She concluded her mini rant. I have to say, this Danica was a pleasing surprise.

"_If I knew how to grant that wish,"_ I responded when I found my voice. _"I would have done so already, before this damn war had taken so many people from me, too. Friends, lovers, family; I would have saved them all if I knew how. But if we both want peace, I can't believe that it is impossible to manage." _I couldn't help flirting a little as I complimented the princess.

Before leaving hastily, as I felt us both fading, I pressed a Cobriana signet ring in the palm of her hand as I kissed her, then whispered instructions in her ear. I knew she probably wouldn't be able to meet me tomorrow, or right away, but I would wait a few days for her to remember this conversation and show up. Leaving her standing next to her bed and starring after me, I vaulted the railing around her balcony and expertly slid down the trellis.

Somehow I managed to stumble home and into my bed. After a few hours of sleep I woke to find my sister bouncing on the edge of my bed.

"What, have you suddenly decided you want to be four again?" I asked. While my sister would probably never outgrow her playful childishness, I was a bit cross at having received not nearly enough sleep. "What time is it anyway?"

"It's almost midday, and no, I won't leave. Not until you tell me what you've been up to." Despite her tone and the jovial way she was still bouncing on my mattress, I believed her. "You've been to see Danica again, haven't you?" She accused slyly. Suddenly her expression changed and her eyes widened in revelation and disgust. "You're not secret lovers are you? That is just not right. Oh! Poor Adelina! What's wrong with you?"

"Relax. I've only been speaking to Danica about possibilities concerning the cessation of hostilities between our peoples." I told her, perhaps a bit more primly than strictly necessary. "Not that I have to answer to you anyway," I reminded her, and myself.

"Uhuh," Irene dismissed my comments like water rolling off a stone. "So, what's the news?"

Knowing that there was really no way to get rid of her, I explained my entire plan including the part where Danica was due to appear in an hour or so.

"What if she doesn't show up?" Irene asked not bouncing anymore. "What do you do then?"

"I guess I have to do something drastic."

"You know, you can't expect her to show up right away. Isn't she being crowned in a few days? I bet she's busy and might not have a moment to herself for a while."

"Then what do you suggest? I can't go talk to her again, just in case it's not that she's busy."

"Give her a few days to show up, if she isn't here by the day after the coronation go ahead with your backup plan. I'm sure it's appropriately gory."

"What makes you think I have a backup plan?"

"Because you're you, you always have a backup plan."

"Fine, so do you want to wait with me or not?"

"Not, it could take a while and I can think of so many other things to do with my time. In fact I think I'll go visit Aisha. Or Galen. Whoever I run into first."

"As long as I don't get the details if it's the latter. Not that I particularly care if it's the former either." I kissed my sister on the forehead before she left and contemplated crawling back into my bed. Unfortunately the sun was too high in the sky and I had other duties to attend to."

The next two days passed agonizingly slowly. I had the sense not to appear to be waiting for something or alter my schedule at all, but I was irritable and it showed. After the second day I removed the three guards I had chosen to patrol the exterior and left it up to Adelina's discretion. This, of course, meant that I was suddenly summoned in the middle of mediating a complaint between to merchants in the open air market and urged to come to the large ornate meeting room back in the palace.

I was greeted informally by Adelina when I entered the chamber. While I was not unused to such displays from my lover, she usually left off when she was on duty. "_Adelina, what on earth is important enough to –"_

I began to ask, both of the display and of the summons. I looked around the room to find Danica tied and kneeling on the floor, I could see the beginnings of bruises blossoming where she had been grabbed or struck. She looked up at me and flinched looking more cowed than I had ever seen her. I was suddenly very irrationally angry, of course my guards would treat her as an assassin, and these were not the ones I had informed of my plan. I had not even let Adelina in on the knowledge that there was a plan.

"_Get your hands off of her!"_ I hissed throwing the guards casually aside. It was not hard as they did not fight me. It also helped that no one would dare oppose me when I was in such a foul mood. I could hear Adelina yelling behind me but I ignored her except to ask if Danica had been searched. I was not surprised when she answered "_Yes . . . milord. She had nothing."_

I nodded, unsurprised. It would have been suicide for her to come alone unarmed, but even worse if she had concealed even the most innocuous of weapons. Secure in the knowledge that this was likely not an assassination attempt I ordered the guards out. They left easily enough with little exception.

Once the room was cleared but for my visiting dignitary, I knelt before the princess and prepared to cut her bonds. Seeing the blade she flinched again and her breath hitched as I moved closer to her.

Once she was released and assured me that her injuries were minimal, she attempted to stand, only to stumble into my arms. I caught her easily and managed to keep us both upright even as she attempted to back away from me. _Silly avians and their physical boundaries, can't even accept a helping hand._

Misinterpreting my expression, she hastened to defend the actions of my guards. After a few more moments of polite conversations and assurances, I led her to the large oak table that dominated one end of the room. Now our talks could begin.


	6. Chapter 5

**The Kiesha'Ra: Reprise**

**I had intended to post two chapters a week. Intentions are only as good as those that hold them. Therefore I am not worth my feed. Ugh. Transcribing dialogue is the worst. I hate it and don't want to do it anymore. But not having at least some would then leave a big hole, even if everyone reading already knows what comes next. I wish I could blame NaNoWriMo.**

_**Chapter 5**_

"_I have people loyal to me who have access to the Keep. They keep me informed_." I watched mildly amused as Danica reacted to the information. The avians thought they were so good, making virtually everything inaccessible to a non-winged assailant or observer, even their emotions. But I had learned there were ways around such practices. I would probably never forget the day I met Eleanor Lyssia, it was long before the first of my brothers had died, when I only thought of Danica abstractly if I ever thought of her at all.

I was thirteen, I had snuck out of some boring lesson that I had no intention to learn and not even Irene was quick enough to follow me. I had decided to hide in the woods; no one would think to look for me there because no one thought I'd be stupid enough to choose such a hiding place. Apparently someone else had the same idea. It was a girl; she was maybe two years younger than me and obviously avian. I had been told that avians were promised to each other shortly after birth and that the girls no matter how young they were went nowhere without their betrothed. I wondered if maybe she had run away from something unpleasant like I had or if her Alistair was hiding somewhere nearby.

"Hi," I'd said instead of running away, she didn't run away either. "What are you doing?" I asked before she'd had a chance to react. I really hoped her Alistair wasn't just on the other side of some trees or something like that. Instead of answering, the girl did some cartwheels and collected some flowers as if I wasn't there. "Hey!" I'd called beginning to get mad. "Why are you ignoring me?"

The girl turned to look at me and rolled her eyes. "I'm not ignoring you. I just thought your question was too stupid to dignify with a response. What does it look like I'm doing?"

"It looks like you're trying to get yourself killed by playing alone in no man's territory." I told her a bit haughtily. She just glared at me then climbed into the tree so she could look down at me.

"That's stupid. But I like you. Wanna be friends?" I stared incredulously at this tiny imp who didn't seem to know anything.

"We can't be friends. We're supposed to try to kill each other when we grow up." I told her like it was the most obvious thing in the world. And it should have been, too. But she just wouldn't buy it.

"No! If we're friends now, then when we grow up we won't want to kill each other. And then we can make our other friends be each others' friends too and then no one will want to kill each other anymore." She explained to me quite patiently. I think she was the one who first gave me the idea for peace. And we did become friends. It helped that she was also childhood friends with the woman in front of me and was able to pass on enough information that I felt confident in making alliances with the avians. Well not all of them, just the two women who were once innocent girls with big dreams.

"_If we manage to succeed in ending this damn war, I will gladly introduce them to you."_ I answered, barely managing to contain a smirk. _And if we don't end this war I will use every advantage I have to make sure things go my way, _I added silently. But I was confident that we would end this meeting with some form of agreement. Danica was much too stubborn, and I too determined, to allow this pointless massacre to continue for one moment more when the end was within our reach.

Danica's eyes narrowed minutely as she interpreted my unspoken words and was again on the defensive. It was time for me to take control of this meeting and steer the conversation towards a peaceful resolution.

"_If I give you my word, Danica, you can be assured I will keep it. . . I will do what is necessary to end this war. If that means accepting the Mistari's suggestion, then I will go down on bended knee this moment and ask you to be my Naga. If that means listening to any other suggestion you have . . . so be it. And if it means taking the Hawk's Keep down stone by stone with my bare hands, then without hesitation I will begin."_

"_I came here to talk about peace, not to receive threats." _Danica nearly hissed as she stood and backed away from me. Her eyes flitted about the room as if looking for an alternate exit. I could feel the change in her heart rate from my seat as her flight or fight instincts responded to the situation.

"_I gave my word that you would be safe if you accepted my invitation," _I reminded her. I did not leave my seat or gesture in her direction or that of the double oak doors on the far wall. Both because I did not wish to startle her into fighting me, but also because I did not want to draw her attention to the exit should she decide to leave before we finished conversing. _"If you turned around right now, neither I nor my guard would stop you."_

"_And afterward?"_ she prompted with a deceptively mild tone. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. It occurred to me that she might be trying to intentionally provoke me. To what end I do not know.

"_I_ _hope we can end this war with peace, not a bloodbath."_ I began as I opened my eyes. With each word I was steeling myself for the next which led to the words that would begin a sentence which could quite likely seal my doom. So I stalled with some rambling and a bit of philosophy, until I finally worked my way to the words that were so hard to say because I did not think I could bear to hear Danica's answer whichever it may be. As we spoke I watched the princess. Impeccable and perfect, detached and passionate, and I wondered _do you realize what we are about to do? What has already been done? _And I wished I could be asking this question differently. I wished that there was a different person sitting across from me. I wished that there was another man speaking these words to her. At the same time I hated those imaginary others. This must be what going mad feels like. _"I implore you, Danica Shardae, to agree to be my Naga."_

With those words the world froze. Both of us sat still as statues. Danica stared at me and several emotions flitted across her features too quickly to be recognized, though I imagined I knew what they were. Despite the tension in the room I felt right. Whole. I could live from now on secure in the knowledge that whatever her answer might be, I had done everything I could to lead us to a peaceful future. Any bloodshed from now on would be on her hands. I felt free and loose and tingly at the same time that I was dying of suspense and feeling strangely vulnerable.

"_I don't know how in the world I could convince my protectors to back my decision."_ Danica breathed shakily. I relaxed; sensing that this preamble could only lead to an affirmative.

"_Yes or no is all the matters. We'll work out the details later."_ I responded before Danica could talk herself out of her decision. With a deep breath and a swallow, she said the words that made it real.

"_Yes, I agree."_

I stood and caught Danica's hand. My _fiancée's_ hand. I kissed her knuckles and pressed another ring into her palm. This one I'd had made especially for her on our return from the Mistari lands. It wasn't so difficult. Upon my eighteenth birthday the feminine counterpart to my own signet ring was made, it was easy to replace the traditional stone with a golden variation I happened upon. The result was a traditional Serpiente piece that matched Danica's eyes.

While we discussed plans and practicality I watched Danica's hand as she unconsciously fiddled with ring. I don't think she noticed that it had been sized to fit her slender fingers perfectly. I smiled to myself as her matter-of-fact tone softened whenever she brushed the stone with her thumb.

Half an hour later we parted ways with plans to meet again in three days. I walked her through the most direct route to the main doors of the palace and tried to ignore the fact that we were being shadowed by three on duty guards and every off-duty we passed. I bade her good-bye at the doors and addressed the assembled.

"In the future I do hope you will treat Danica with more respect than you have today." I turned down one of the many halls that eventually led to my personal chambers without acknowledging any individuals.

I was not to be left alone for long. I was almost immediately assaulted by Adelina.

"What was that?" The viper demanded, her tone threatening. I felt sorry for Adelina. Whatever we had was strong, and it was important to us both. But it wasn't love. On my end at least. If it were, would I have convinced myself to marry Danica so easily? I felt a great deal of affection for the woman who had been my closest companion for so many years and I felt pity for what I was doing to her. But I didn't regret my actions today. I wouldn't take them back for her. And while I would likely always feel strongly for Adelina, I realized now that whatever our relationship was, it was not based on the enduring "forever love" we had believed it to be as children in our first rush of sexual exploration.

What we really had was familiarity and perhaps a kind of love.

Or maybe I was justifying hurting her by belittling and diminishing our relationship. Even if just to myself.

"What was what?" I countered in a way that would have been considered playful on any other day.

"What were you thinking kicking me and the rest of your guards out of a nearly soundproof room while you fraternized with the enemy for two hours!" She burst at me. I knew that for the most part this vehemence came from concern, but I also knew that Adelina felt threatened by Danica on a personal level.

"I was thinking that I wanted to have a private conversation with a fellow monarch. Preferably without either of us being harmed or threatened." My voice was dangerously low Adelina knew me well enough to back down. But she was also upset.

"You're not seriously considering the Mistari's suggestion, are you?" She asked voice small and hurt as she questioned me from the doorway.

I massaged my forehead as I answered her.

"No." I did not allow her a sigh of relief before I continued. "It's already been considered and a date has been set. Danica will be Naga in a few days." I couldn't meet Adelina's gaze as I heard her breath hitch. I suspected that there would soon be tears. "And I need the Guard's cooperation on this." I doubt any woman had ever been asked as much as I was asking Adelina. And I wasn't even asking, I was ordering.

"I really hate you right now." She told me.

"I know," I whispered. _I really hate me right now, too. _I wanted to tell her.

"I must be completely insane, because I love you anyway." She left, slamming the door behind her before I could reply. Adelina never asked leave, she was a horrible guard that way.

I lay face down on my bed and grumbled into my pillows for a few moments. Adelina's footsteps had barely faded when I heard a familiar knock on my door. I don't know why she bothered knocking.

"Yes, Irene?" I called and felt the change in the air as the door opened. Somehow, impossibly, it was warmer as my sister entered the room in her usual fashion. She bounced onto the bed so hard that I nearly bounced off and wanted to shove her like I did when we were children.

"Am I to assume that all went as planned?" Irene chirped. "Did she like the ring?" My sister had an amazing talent for avoiding the real problem and still somehow fixing it.

"Yeah she liked the ring." I said softly. "She didn't say anything but I could tell she appreciated it."

"So, things are gonna be pretty weird for the next couple of months. I mean I'm going to be all hormonal and crazy, Adelina's going to be her usual charming self, and we'll be hosting a feathery invasion. Sounds like a challenge. I know how much you love a challenge."

"I wish you wouldn't talk about Adelina like that."

"What? I don't hate her or anything. I just think she can be a bit overbearing at times."

"You're still mad about that time she ripped your favorite veil." I accused, lightly.

"She did it on purpose and never apologized!"

"She was fourteen! And she bought you a new one from the same weaver even though she couldn't afford it."

"It wasn't the same." Irene defended primly. "Mine had tiny silver bells sewn into the hem, and the one she got me wasn't the right shade of green, it didn't match anything I owned!"

We both laughed at our memories of a time when we were only training and playing at war. We quieted quickly as somber thoughts invaded our happy place.

"And Gregory threaded these god-awful bells into the corners and couldn't figure out how to sew the hems back."

We sat in silence for a few more minutes before I spoke again.

"In other news, we have to figure out how to break the news gently to the people."

"Which news?" Irene asked distantly.

"How you break your news is up to you. But how am I supposed to announce and avian as Tuuli Thea? Preferably without violence erupting."

"The usual way I suppose. Just have some guards out of uniform in the crowd. You should probably warn enough people in advance that they won't hesitate to kneel." She chewed her lip as she thought. "The guard should all know ahead of time. Maybe the girls should be the ones to greet Danica?" Irene suggested, referring to the three newest members of the Guard. The girls came from merchant families and had not lost any close relatives to war, neither had they been in the Guard long enough to have seen battle. The only hatred or distaste they would hold for Danica would be the abstract inherited kind. Not that which stems from having faced her people as enemies.

"You should be a general. Unfortunately I am doing my best to remove any need for generals, so I guess you're stuck being a princess."

"You mean I have to lounge around all day being waited on hand and foot and pampered by legions of personal servants?"

"At least until you attempt to strangle one of them."

"I would only do that if I were truly starved for amusement. Which does seem to be a likely occurrence under those circumstances."

"Luckily, you have me. I promise to be forever getting into scrapes and relying on you to help me out of them."

"I don't know where you find the time to get into so much trouble in the first place."

The decisions and plans had already been in place for weeks, the only change was the woman I would be announcing. On the second day I met with Eleanor in secret long enough to be sure that she had been provided with a garment appropriate for the occasion. I was also informed by my most eager spy that she would do all she could to make the days go smoothly on the avian end. Once the minor details had been tweaked to suit my purposes I had little else to occupy my time and the next two days passed agonizingly slowly.

Finally the morning of the ceremony arrived and I was to expect Danica in a few hours. I took more care in dressing than usual in the hopes that it would make the time go by faster. Then it was time to meet my mother and sister in the same formal meeting room where Danica would receive basic Serpiente etiquette lessons before the ceremony.


	7. Chapter 6

**The Kiesha'Ra: Reprise**

**FINALLY HAVE RELIABLE INTERNET ACCESS! Also, my cat somehow managed to eat a few pages of my book, so even though I like to boast that I have entire passages memorized, there may be mistakes in this and the next chapter. Still feels a little awkward to me, but I thought to celebrate having internet on something other than my phone by treating you guys to a new chapter.**

_**Chapter 6**_

About half an hour before Danica was due to arrive I met Irene on the way to the meeting room. We didn't speak as we were both anxious but for different reasons. Our mother had preceded us to the table and was already seated drinking a cup of her favorite herbal tea. She gave us a smile as we entered and gestured to the pot on the table.

Since our return from the Mistari lands my mother and I had spoken infrequently, though we were still in close enough contact for me to have mentioned some fears and nervousness I had regarding the proposal. Though I often wondered aloud what I was thinking at that moment I was quick to defend Danica when the occasion arose as she was risking the most for the time being.

Ignoring the refreshments and table I began to pace as had become my habit of late. I was on my seventh revolution when the doors opened and Danica was escorted in. I dismissed the guards easily and turned my attention to my future Naga.

"_Danica, allow me to introduce Naga Charis Cobriana,"_ I gestured toward my mother and sensed her nod regally behind me. _"And you already know my sister, Irene."_

"_A pleasure to meet you,"_ Danica responded in a tone that was both polite and a little remote. To my surprise she met my mother's eyes squarely and smiled as she spoke. I decided she was trying not to show how nervous she was.

"_My son speaks quite highly of you,"_ Charis told Danica with a knowing smile. As if she knew something the rest of us didn't. Or like she was teasing us. Before anyone could say anything too embarrassing or awkward I steered the conversation toward something a bit more serious.

"_How shortly should I expect your guards to storm the palace?" _I was not sure if they even knew she was gone yet, though it was common knowledge that the Royal Flight was not in the practice of letting the Tuuli Thea go anywhere unescorted.

"_The Royal Flight will be informed of my whereabouts shortly before sunrise, if I have not returned by then." _Danica answered bluntly but with a light and playful tone. Before I had a chance to retort the large double doors were opened without as much as a knock. It was Adelina who entered without first being acknowledged and in a show of dominance, presumably for Danica, she entered with only a deferential nod to my mother and sister.

"_Zane, you are needed." _She said in a tone of voice I'd never heard before.

"_Am I? I'd like to know what your guard needs me for at the moment."_

"I _need to speak to you,"_ she clarified shooting a quick glare at Danica that I wasn't supposed to notice. I was becoming tired of this imaginary one-sided power struggle. While I was marrying Danica and as such had to end my relationship with Adelina, she was obviously the one that held my affections and didn't need to compete with this non-existent threat.

"_You can speak as freely in front of Danica as you can in front of me," _I tried to assure her, but somehow my meaning is lost in the words and instead of creating an air of openness or at least diffusing the tension I have increased it exponentially. Luckily my sister is a born diplomat and sent me to the hall with Adelina before the awkward silence could stretch for too long.

In the hall I stood motionless waiting for Adelina to speak her mind.

"You don't have to do this, you know," she started avoiding my gaze.

"But I do," I told her sadly. "Well maybe not this specifically, but it was the least lethal of our options."

"Like she won't kill you the first night anyway," Adelina muttered to herself. "There's an avian tradition of murdering Serpiente in their beds," she continued louder.

"And if that happens _which I doubt_ then at least I tried. My people deserve that much."

"Your _people_? Yeah your _people_ deserve a lot. But what about what _I _deserve? Huh? What _you_ deserve?" She retorted her voice climbing. "Hell, even what_ Danica _deserves."

"I admit this was nobody's first choice. But it's too late to back out now."

"Why do you have to be so gods-damned self-sacrificing? Just this once be selfish, be with me!" She pleaded. She raised a hand for and for a moment I thought she was going to strike me, but instead she made a frustrated strangling motion in mid-air accompanied by a wordless shriek.

I placed my hands on either of her shoulders and Adelina leaned in to the touch. I wished she wouldn't, my next words were too cruel even though we both knew they were coming.

"After today, I mean, after this you know we can't be together anymore."

She sniffed, when had she started crying? "I don't have to like it." She grumbled but eventually agreed. At some point while we were talking, we had moved away from the honey-oak double doors of the smaller audience chamber. When I returned to the room it was to a solemn silence as my mother and sister had briefed Danica in my absence.

We spent the next hour or so acquainting Danica with the maze like halls of the palace and the guard chosen to protect her. I just hoped Danica was able to play her part well because I couldn't compensate for the both of us.

I stepped on stage and was greeted by whistles and cheers, it still surprised me sometimes how much my people cared about me. It was probably proportional to the amount I cared about them. They were willing to die for my family; I was willing to live the rest of my life in loneliness for them. Not that I said so. No, I gave a pretty speech about love and romance and acceptance. I said some things about hope and daring, beauty and wonder. I painted a picture of two love-struck royals no longer willing to be separated by our peoples' mutual hatred.

I always was a good story teller. But something in my words struck a chord within me. I was reminded of the first time I had watched Danica sleep and let the feeling color my voice.

I avoided explicitly naming names until Danica's cue when she stepped out on stage and watched the audience's reaction. For the benefit of those who did not recognize the woman standing before them and for the binding contract the words would seal, I announced to the assembled, "Allow me to introduce my Naga, Danica Shardae." I did not miss Adelina slip out the back, nor was I truly surprised.

The carefully planted Palace guards knelt, arranged out of uniform in such a way as to influence the crowd's acceptance of Danica and interfere if the gathering were to become a mob. As each guard knelt so did the civilians nearest them until only a handful of people were left standing in dissention. They were quickly soothed by some pretty words, light sarcasm, and a touching display.

To my surprise, Danica did not hesitate to wrap an arm around my waist, nor did she flinch at my simulated kiss. Throughout the evening as we circulated through the crowd, Danica kept a hand on my arm or was otherwise in constant skin-to-skin contact with me. I was not sure if it was for the benefit of the Serpiente who would be disgusted by anything less than a love-match or her own nervousness and wanting to reassure herself that she was near someone who would protect her . . . or at least hesitate to kill her. Her constant warmth and rapid heartbeat was welcome at my side as I found her nearness soothed most of my own tension. I did not contemplate why this was and instead focused on ensuring that my usually demonstrative people did not overwhelm my new Naga with their eagerness to be near royalty. A few times I had to warn off a young man who was being overly familiar (by avian standards) with Danica, but for the most part the introduction went well.

It was the dinner when things got difficult. Technically it was far too late for any kind of formal meal. But one could not expect so many people to be gathered for so long without refreshment, or for such an event to be without a banquet. As Danica quietly picked through the vegetable dishes and the rest of us enjoyed the meat courses (no fowl of course. Perhaps it should be removed from Palace kitchens) when a question about Danica's guard was raised. This led to a short disagreement about the appropriateness of an Avian queen being guarded by the avians she had known since childhood who had been raised to guard her. The ridiculousness was not lost on me, though I noticed Danica tense at the raised voices even as she feigned polite indifference to the outcome.

Finally it was late enough to disappear into our rooms. Danica apparently agreed with me, she leaned against my side as I led her to the part of the palace that was for sleeping. At some point she began to mumble indistinctly about how good I smelled. She had apparently used wine to cover her nerves and while she was not noticeably drunk, I doubted she would recall much of the evening in detail after the food had been served. She seemed to wake up a bit to take in the room and was considerably shocked to find that her childhood friend had been working with the Serpiente for some time.

It was appallingly easy to convince her to allow me into her bed in her exhausted, shocked, and somewhat tipsy state. My true motives were just as pure as my stated ones, I wasn't used to sleeping alone, the walk to my own room suddenly seemed very long, and my presence should be enough to thwart any would-be assassins.

After the fourth longest day of my life, I closed my eyes and sank blissfully into a dream. It was not as vivid as the dreams I was used to having, but was rather filled with sensations and emotions, mostly pleasant with no accompanying image. I felt peace and contentment and a little bit of pride radiate from somewhere to the left of me and moved closer until I was completely enveloped in positivity.

**I know, I know. This chapter is short, I suck and you hate me. Review anyway?**


	8. Chapter 7

**The Kiesha'Ra: Reprise**

**I realize that this is not a valid excuse, but remember when I mentioned my cat eating my book? Well he ate some more of it, then I had my 21****st**** birthday party and puked on the rest. I just received my replacement and am finishing the chapter and posting the same day. (And people think my life is exciting)**

_**Chapter 7**_

A sudden chill woke me a few hours later, not ready to face the day I kept my eyes closed and moved closer to a warm hollow not quite awake enough to realize a Serpiente body would not give off such heat. I woke more fully to the sound of movement from the other side of the room and cracked my lids a fraction of an inch. Danica looked over her shoulder presumably to check if she had woken me when she got up and seemed unsurprised to find my eyes open.

"_Morning,"_ I greeted softly then rose to stretch. Danica watched me for a moment then blushed and turned away. I knelt beside her as she rifled through the chest containing about a week's worth of clothes. _"Should I be flattered by that charming blush?"_ I flirted lightly brushing her cheek. Whether in reaction to my words or touch I do not know, but without warning Danica pulled up her shields and I was left in a suddenly frigid room. All the charming pleasantness of the morning and previous night was gone, hidden behind a wall of emotionless reserve. _"Please don't," _I requested voice small and explained as best I could the other sense that all of my people had, that was blinded by the presence of one who kept such tight control of her emotions.

"_You can sense emotion," _she concluded quietly her voice trailing off to indicate unvoiced thoughts.

"_Serpiente legend, Danica," _I began after a moment's hesitation, _"says that your kind has no souls." _That was one of the few legends that I continued to believe after the fighting started. After all, how could a creature with a soul read as blank emptiness to one with our senses? I told another pretty tale about passion and temper and saw a flicker of recognition in her eyes, but otherwise spoke past Danica. I looked at her, really looked at her and saw not a fellow monarch, not a beautiful woman, not my natural enemy, but the woman that was to be my mate and equal for the rest of our existence – however long that may be – and saw also a scared girl and could not help myself. I stepped forward and gently pressed my lips to hers.

The moment was interrupted by a heavy knock at the door and Adelina entering the room without invitation. I would have to take her to task on that later. She recoiled at the sight of us, and I realized how we looked. I felt a moment of pity for her that briefly pushed aside my irritation before her next words brought a fresh wave of annoyance, though not directed at her this time.

"_I'm sorry for the intrusion,"_ she started, not sounding sorry at all. _"But there's a bird demanding to see your Naga. Since I can't put a hand on him to detain him it seemed best to get her quickly to avoid a nasty scene."_

"_Andreios?" _Danica asked pulling up her shields again, but not so solidly this time. I could still sense a human presence in her direction but the individual emotions were not so precise. I accepted this as a compromise and hoped to have a few minutes alone with her later to discuss things. Instead we dressed in separate rooms and hurried to the reception hall where the crow was pacing.

I recognized him from the Mistari lands and my frequent forays into the Hawk's Keep. He greeted Danica with the standard avian phrases but his words were warmer and his relief was palpable. He began to speak, most likely attempt to dissuade Danica from the actions she had already taken, before he noticed Adelina and myself were still in the room. He quite rudely asked for privacy in my palace; privacy which I granted by leading Adelina to a small room across the hall where she could accuse and accost me at will.

Predictably, she was giving me a bit of the "silent treatment" and refused to speak more than a few terse words in my direction. After a few minutes of silence she made to leave the room, but not before saying, "I see that I am easily replaced."

I waited in the side antechamber for another five minutes before Danica and Andreios came to collect me. Despite their avian reserve and perfect control, I could tell that they had had words with each other. Probably along the same line as Adelina's intentionally cutting remarks. Though, of course, much more polite.

Adelina and Ailbhe were milling casually in the entrance hall in a way that clearly suggested that they fully intended to accompany us. This presented a problem since I was to be smuggled into the Keep and kept hidden until right before the ceremony the next night. Hiding one person in a level of the avian stronghold that was rarely occupied by more than three people (guards included) would be tricky but doable. Bringing Serpiente warriors and expecting no one to notice them until it was time would be near impossible.

I explained as much to them. "Besides," I added lightly, "Danica came here on her own without guards, why should I do any different?" We left while they were still speechless attempting to muster their arguments.

Once outside I saw ten assembled fighters in the uniform of the Royal Flight. The two who glared most vehemently at me were sent ahead with Danica while Andreios and the remaining eight escorted me on horseback. It was a long ride that took much more time amid awkward silence and unwanted company than it ever had in the dead of night. I took the opportunity to get to know the men and women responsible for my continued existence for the next several hours and learned a few things.

"So what about you? What are your life goals, ambitions, and dreams?" I asked a young male guard about my age. He didn't answer, only looked at me strangely then turned his attention to a dense part of the forest that served as the border between the two kingdoms. We had nearly reached the clearing that brought the Hawk's Keep into view when he finally answered after several long minutes of silence.

"You know, I never thought I would live long enough to worry about ambitions." He stated matter-of-factly before lapsing back into silence. I thought he was done speaking when he continued. "I've always been scholarly, but extra schooling is expensive. Warriors on the other hand made money and I'm very good at it."

"We're here." Andreios announced before I could reply. Night had fallen while we rode without my noticing. Next came the arduous task of sneaking me into the Keep and keeping me hidden until the following evening I could have been more helpful but wasn't sure how many ancient hidden passages they knew and didn't want to tip my hand. I was brought to the seventh floor which I knew to be the personal chambers of the Tuuli Thea and her alistair. Not even the royal children were allowed to be here without permission and only the highest ranking soldiers guarded its hall. Even the heir was rarely in these rooms.

I had my own suite on the north side of the building that I guessed equaled a little less than half of the floor. There was a door from my sitting room that led to Danica's but it was locked from the other side and I decided it would be rude to pick the lock so soon. A quick peek told me that Andreios was prepared to guard the hall despite the twenty-four hours he had spent awake already. I admired his loyalty but wondered at the wisdom; even the most untrained guard would be more alert and effective than an exhausted one. Not that I planned to test that any time soon.

Despite the simple opulence of my rooms and my exhaustion from the last two days, I found it hard to sleep that night. Perhaps it was because I was alone in an unfamiliar bed, or maybe it was the knowledge that I was being guarded only grudgingly by someone who would be just as likely to pull me out of the way of a projectile weapon as plunge a dagger into my heart himself. It was nearly an hour before my eyes closed, and even then my dreams were not easy.

_My sister, Sisal was sobbing over my corpse, her eyes rimmed with red as her hands methodically smoothed my hair. But this made no sense, she had died years ago. Then, instead of Sisal it was my father. He stood beside me and clapped a hand on my shoulder. We looked out into a world that was not divided by race or species and he told me he was proud of me. The scene changed yet again and I saw my youngest brother, Carson, running off into the horizon. He looked so much younger than I remembered. Too young to die._

I woke without knowing why and could tell that I hadn't slept nearly long enough. I frowned as I tried to remember the dream I had been having. It was unsettling, and involved the dead but that was all I could remember. Had I spoken with someone? I rubbed my eyes and decided it didn't matter much either way. With a groan I rose and pulled on the outfit I had chosen to wear to the ceremony in a few hours. It was shades of brown and beige intended to make me appear less intimidating.

I exited the room and found three guards in the hall. Among them was Andreios who must have caught some rest shortly after dawn. The crow approached me with some words of advice.

"If you say the wrong thing today, this could very well be your last morning." He warned me in as nonthreatening a manner as could be projected around those words. "I don't think I'd mind, but it would upset Danica and cause problems with your people so listen very closely and try to remember your cues." Who knew avians could be so intentionally abrasive. I hid a smile as Andreios related the ceremony that was to come.

I was mostly amused and not a little intrigued as I learned more about the alistair culture. I had known of course, that avian matches were often arranged and due to "avian control" love was difficult, but I had no idea how far it had gone. Children still unsteady on rounded legs were more often than not promised to newborn infants still in the cradle. The children were then raised together and expected to find some form of happiness even if it were just friendship or familiarity. If one or the other of the pair were to die before being bonded, as was likely in such a warrior society, the other child would be allowed to choose a new mate after a suitable mourning period had passed. It was really quite fascinating once one got over the fact that very few of these people had a choice in with whom they would spend the rest of their lives and have children.

"_Tell me, do the three year olds usually honor these vows?"_ I asked. I had been enjoying needling Andreios for much of the morning and also honestly wanted to know how these matters usually worked out. I was ready to ask "what about during adolescence?" when I noticed Danica step into the hallway and pacify the guards. The young male who had been sent ahead with Danica the day previously attempted a joke in what I considered to be poor taste. I noticed Danica look questioningly to Andreios and had to accept his reasoning as sound. Adelina and Ailbhe had been equally careful when selecting guards.

Finally Eleanor Lyssia, my first avian spy, popped into the room. "_Milady, it's time_," She announced her excitement obvious despite her avian upbringing.

"_This is going to be interesting,_" I commented to Danica offering my arm at the same time. As we entered the room and made our way to a raised dais I noticed ripples of surprise and unease from the surrounding courtiers. They did not know why they were uncomfortable and shrugged off the prickles on the backs of their necks and convinced themselves they were imagining things. It was almost amusing the way they deluded themselves.

The ceremony itself was a simple affair; the head of the Royal Flight publicly asked us to affirm our commitment to each other and loyalty to the bond and Danica's people. I was also asked to swear to protect Danica and her people, keep them from harm . . . and never harm them myself. That was where it got tricky. I could easily agree to protect them, that was after all the only reason I agreed to this, but I could not in good conscience vow to never harm them without knowing how the agreement would work out. I could not be bound by promises if it came to an unnamed avian soldier and my own people and family. So I worded my response carefully, claiming love. This did not sit well with those who knew the circumstances of our arrangement but Danica urged the ceremony forward and in no time the words "for life" were ringing in my ears and blocking all other sound. I barely noticed when the former Tuuli Thea left the room and was distracted during Danica's speech. Only years of practice allowed me to appear engaged and engrossed.

We were finally escorted out of the chamber while the upper class avians "discussed" the proceedings and their feelings thereof. We could hear raised voices, some in favor and some opposed but eventually there were too many walls and floors between us and we could only guess how things were going. I was just starting to think perhaps we should have waited somewhere with a more accessible escape route when Danica's voice pulled me from my reverie.

"_Anhamirak, you swore to her during the ceremony," _Danica reminded me once she was sure of my attention, "_when Rei asked whether you would defend my people as your own."_

I smiled a little to myself before recounting one of my favorite myths as a child. It told the story of the Dasi in Egypt and the deception of Leben, Maeve's seduction and the origin of the Cobriana line. When told in full it was a racy tale that often culminated in the telling of the beginning of the Avian-Serpiente War. I conveniently left that part out and was rewarded by Danica's enraptured stare and breathless question.

"_Do you believe it?"_

"_I believe this," _I held out my hand and carefully controlled the partial shift to my demi-form. Danica gasped quietly as the inky snakeskin rippled across the flesh of my arm and retreated again. _"And I believe this. I have seen the serpents dance and if that isn't magic, I can find no better word." _My eyes were on hers the entire time I spoke and it seemed she dared not look away. "_What about you Danica? What do you believe in?"_ I asked Danica partially to keep the conversation friendly, but also because I hadn't heard the avian creation myth and wondered if there was one. Did avian poise allow for such frivolous things as mythology and children's stories?

"_I believe in the air beneath my wings when I soar."_ I asked her about the view from the sky and she considered thoughtfully for a moment before attempting to explain something that no one in her acquaintance had ever not understood or experienced. "_It's not as clear as this. When you fly, the air is mostly what you're aware of how it moves and how you move in it. The ground isn't important unless you are landing, diving, or falling."_

"_Falling?"_

She shrugged a bit but her voice was not as casual as she would have hoped and I guessed she was remembering a specific event. _"It happens sometimes."_

We had both fallen back into our own thoughts when a messenger sparrow arrived and quickly left to escort Nacola to speak with us on the roof. It was a harmless enough request but I couldn't help my wariness as I waited to for the woman I had been raised to fear to arrive and berate me.


	9. Chapter 8

**The Kiesha'Ra: Reprise**

**Finally, we get to the good stuff! Also, I'm not sure if I'm not looking hard enough or what but I can't find if it's ever mentioned whether Karl is a crow or raven. I've decided to make him a raven but if that's wrong please let me know. That being said, this chapter was so weird and uncomfortable to write. I just can't get into the mindset. Maybe it's all the blank space I had to fill with Zane adjusting to the married life. Brownies to anyone who knows what story Danica tells the children.**

_**Chapter 8**_

"_I think she's afraid of me," _I commented in what I hoped was an offhand manner while Danica and I watched the sparrow rush out. She didn't respond, deciding instead to gather her reserve about her and effectively blinding me. I settled similarly into myself and felt my breathing slow as my body stilled. Enough time had passed for the silence to move from awkward to amiable when Nacola Shardae made her way over to us, head held high and all uneasiness expertly masked. Though it was obvious that she was uncomfortable in my presence, she didn't so much as look at me. _"I think she's not the only one."_

There was the predictable argument and I lost my temper a bit more than I had intended when Danica's mother, an intolerant woman at best, all but accused me of my people's worst crime. To my face. Her other concerns I could deal with, cobras were notoriously short tempered and meetings between our people have always been violent. But to be accused of _that _I could no longer hold my infamous tongue in check and very nearly threw her over the ledge.

"_Would my word mean anything to you Nacola? The word of a cobra for your daughter's virtue?" _I gave her barely a second to answer but knew full well that if my word had ever meant anything it most certainly would not for this matter. _"Leave now, Nacola Shardae."_

"_I-"_

"_Danica, get her out of here before I hurt her."_

"_Mother please return to your room now."_

Thankfully, Danica did not hesitate or question me. I blew out a heavy breath as I watched them leave then turned and kicked the low balcony wall. Hard. I kicked a few more times for good measure and growled deep in my throat. My tantrum had only lasted about two minutes but it was long enough for the young raven that had been guarding Danica to poke his head cautiously around the heavy drapery that had been closed to give us some semblance of privacy.

Like most avians he would not look me in the eye, though he was careful not to be so obvious about avoiding my gaze. I caught a reproachful look in his face before the emotionless mask slid into place and instead of berating me or letting his suspicion show, he quietly and politely "suggested" that I might be more comfortable in my rooms if Danica and Nacola were retiring for the night. I raked a hand through my hair and unclenched fists I didn't remember balling before nodding.

I tried to smile pleasantly but knew I could never pass for a politely raised avian and wasn't even sure why I was trying. "I think you're right," I told the younger man. "If Danica comes looking for me let her in, of course, but otherwise I'd rather not be bothered." And flexing my shoulder blades and trying to ignore the apprehension having a feathered soldier at my back caused, I slipped into my room and bolted the door.

I roughly pulled the balcony curtains closed and once I was safely sequestered I unleashed my fury on the innocent furnishings. I allowed myself a tantrum the likes of which I hadn't experienced since I had been named Diente. As I screamed into a pillow and fought back furious tears I finally fully questioned what I was doing here. What had I expected to happen? Why did I blindly bind myself to this woman I didn't even know? How could I have allowed myself to be so blind-sided? For a few bewildering moments I even found myself wishing my mother was here. I felt so completely foolish for being upset by an ignorant woman's words, but I also knew that this must be what the rest of her court and her species thought of me and my kind.

A few more deep breaths and I was nearly calm again. I unbolted the door then threw myself on one of the low couches and gazed unseeing at the ceiling. They were making no allowances for my ignorance, no concessions to my upbringing and had even gone so far as to accuse me of the worst crime a being could commit. So be it. If they expected a dark and sinister prince with ulterior motives then I could be that. But mostly I was just sad and lonely.

After what seemed like hours there came a tentative knock on my door. I could almost see Danica hesitating outside, uncomfortable being alone with me but unwilling to let the incident pass without comment. I was in no mood to humor or reassure though so I only called for her to enter. Which she did with great trepidation, I'm sure. While it is well known that my kind is known to be temperamental, exuberant, and demonstrative, it is not so common knowledge that while comfortable and at home with the swirling rawness of every emotion felt in my vicinity, I prefer humor to anger, laughter to tears, and am quite skilled at calming distraught serpents. It's not that I was ashamed of my earlier outburst, but being upset all the time can get exhausting so I at least made a minimal effort to be nonthreatening in tone and posture.

"_Questions, Danica? Do you want to ask or would you prefer not to know what you have tied yourself to?" _My words do not have the intended effect, I had meant to push Danica away, to punish her with my words, perhaps make her nervous, instead she met my challenge squarely and retorted, _"Are there questions I should ask?"_ without batting so much as an eyelash.

I rose and approached her in a somewhat aggressive manner, mostly I was amusing myself, but somewhere in my mind I was also ashamed. It is not Danica that I am angry with, it is not my Naga I want to lash out at, and it is not the Tuuli Thea who deserves such treatment from me. But she is there before me and I allow my predator's instincts to control me for a few moments longer. _"Relax. I'm not going to bite," _I said without attempting to change my aggressive posture. Beneath Danica's steely reserve I sensed her tense and could almost taste the adrenaline in the air as she fought her instincts for the sake of peace. Peace. Was that not the reason I was here, alone in uncomfortable settings? Yet it was not for peace that I threatened, teased, and taunted an innocent young woman who had the misfortune of being the only one present. But still the predator would not release me.

"_So easy, Danica,"_ I whispered as I moved towards her, my voice and body could no longer agree on whether to be threatening or pleading and I gave up on controlling my emotions. _"Despite how I have despised your kind for so many years . . . you alone are so very fragile."_

As if of its own accord, my hand raised and my arm swung in her direction. I had very nearly struck her before I regained some control of myself. I would be proud if I weren't so ashamed. The next few minutes passed the same way; I made threats and swore promises to myself and to her. I would not let her forget that I was dangerous, but neither would I allow myself to truly harm her. Then I invited her to my bed and refused her acceptance of my invitation. Until finally, finally I said what I had meant to say so many minutes – hours? – ago.

"_I did not intend to frighten you." _Danica's raised eyebrow asked the question more clearly than any words her lips could have formed. _"Your mother all but accused me of something that is, among my kind, the highest crime any man could commit. There is no trial, only punishment, because it is considered better to let an innocent man die than a guilty one live. I know my kind has an evil reputation in the eyes of yours, but having that ignorance thrown in my face in such a way was more than unpleasant."_

I paused to see if she would have a reply, an answer of any kind. When she did not speak I continued my rambling explanation and apology until finally she forgave me. She would likely never forget this night, but at least she would have her warning and I'd have the knowledge that she had seen me at one of my more regrettable moments and hadn't called her guards. A few brief platitudes later and we said our goodnights. I went to work righting the things that had been knocked over in this and the next room during my considerable tantrum and curled on a small section of mattress on a bed far too large for one person. Especially for one that so rarely slept alone. Ignoring my discomfort, I burrowed further into the mattress and closed my eyes waiting for the light of dawn to wake me.

Unsurprisingly, I did not sleep long or deeply. It took me a moment to realize where I was and then I spent another moment to briefly wonder whether Danica had slept at all the night she spent in my room in the Serpiente Palace.

Danica and I did not share a room again. I developed an almost avian ability to hide the listlessness that this brought on and only my sister knew how lonely I was. I did not see my family as often as I would have liked because Danica and I had decided it would be best to split our time evenly between the avian and Serpiente lands. My life had drastically changed though Danica once confided to me that other than the traveling hers had not. I was trained in combat and raised as a soldier. As a child I had mostly ignored and avoided the other more princely political lessons, believing Anjay would rule and I would be a warrior and sometimes advisor to me brother. Even after I had been named Arami and taken on many of the responsibilities of the Diente, my mother remained in charge of the daily affairs of the Palace and our people, though of course I was familiar with and aware of most of the important goings on in Serpiente lands.

Now, Danica and I saw our people together, heard complaints and responded to petitions and pleas for aid. There were still occasional requests on both sides for soldiers due to unauthorized skirmishes. My Guard had strict orders when it came to these situations and an attack against the avian people was treated the same as an unprovoked attack against Serpiente. Often, by the time an avian could complain to the Tuuli Thea or her alistair the members of the Serpiente army charged with such matters had already contained the situation and punished those discovered according to their involvement.

I had plenty to occupy my time and mind between keeping the charade going, keeping the peace, traveling weekly between palaces, training with the guards and soldiers at both strongholds, and maintaining a relationship with my people and family while trying to develop one with Danica's, not to mention the draining affect limiting physical contact had on my kind. Some days I fell into bed exhausted and overwhelmed, but most I lie awake for hours mulling over things and inexplicably itching for a weapon and the adrenalin of a fight. It was perplexing considering how much I hated fighting and warfare.

Despite a few difficulties and the near-constant exhaustion, I put up a good front and made steps toward befriending Danica and her closest guards. I was correct in my earlier assumptions that Rei was in love with her. But he also understood and respected Danica enough to never make his feelings known to her. I spent some free time exploring the Hawk's Keep and surrounding lands though I was already familiar with the layout thanks to my spies. I also occasionally met with Eleanor Lyssia though not about anything specific or important, it was nice to spend time with an avian who didn't make a point of keeping me in her line of sight at all times. We spoke mostly of innocent trivial things and were always aware of avian propriety even after Eleanor's master seamstress granted her permission to set up a shop in the Serpiente marketplace.

At the same time, Danica was exploring the Serpiente Palace acquainting herself with passages that I had never used as well as the well trafficked market and other public areas. I watched her sometimes from a distance as she gracefully navigated the crowds. About a month into our arrangement, Danica discovered the brightly colored Palace nursery. Though there were no royal children, the room was crowded with the offspring of merchants, servants, and guards playing loudly and with no never mind to the presence of their Naga. One little girl even approached her to ask for a story and before the child minders could shoo the child away she had reach up and found herself in Danica's lap. With a soft smile and a quiet laugh Danica settled the girl into her lap and began a story I had never heard. It was about four young, magically powerful children who didn't know they had magic until their families had died and with nowhere else to go each ended up in the same small, temple community.

"The children were all different and didn't think they were going to like each other very much and at first they didn't but then they became friends. And after they became friends they began to understand their powers and how to use them. One day there was an earthquake and the four children were trapped in a cave with no way out, they were running out of air and one little girl was very afraid of the dark and began to cry. The other children were also scared but they had learned not to let their emotions control them so they were able to use their magic to keep them safe until the other girl calmed down. Once she got control of herself she was the very bravest of them all. She found a way to use her special power to combine all four children's magic into one very powerful magic that kept them safe until their teachers and guardians were able to dig them out. From that moment on they were the very best of friends and hated to be apart."

The other children had gathered 'round while she talked and at the end of the story applauded and requested more. Danica told of the children's other adventures with pirates and forest fires and was telling a story about the boy and a great plague when I melted back into the crowd and found some business of my own to occupy the rest of my day.

Later that evening I sought out my sister and found her in the large sitting room my family shared. She was leaning against a pillow reading, Galen was nowhere in sight.

"Hey there Little Bit," I greeted from the doorway. Recently Irene had taken to reacting very badly to being startled. "Where's your prettier half?"

"I had to forcibly remove him. He acts like pregnancy is a terminal illness." Irene rolled her eyes and made room on the couch when it was evident I had something to say. "How's life?"

"Good, okay, splendid, barely tolerable, and sometimes all at the same time," I responded flippantly rolling my shoulders as if my back was bothering me. It wasn't.

"Uh-oh," she sang turning to give me her full attention. "What happened?"

"Nothing," she only raised an eyebrow in response. "Really," I insisted, "absolutely nothing of note has happened."

"Got it," she announced with a wicked grin. "It's about Danica isn't it?"

"Maybe? I don't know. I saw her in the nursery today but that's really it."

"Does she even like children?"

"She must have spent at least an hour with a toddler on her lap amusing the children with stories I'd never heard before. That sounds like 'likes children' to me."

"Wait, you watched her tell stories for an hour?" Irene questioned incredulously.

"No! I left halfway through the fourth story. I didn't want her to know I saw her." At this admission my sister burst into peals of laughter. The mirth went on until she was clutching her sides and gasping for air. "And just what, pray tell, was so funny about what I just said?"

"You love her!" Irene exclaimed triumphantly. "I_ so _win the pool."

"There's a pool on my love life?" I squeaked aghast.

"Yes and I win. Mother bet you would fall in love after six months and Galen bet something would return us to war before you had a chance and Ailbhe said you would give in after a year. I bet one-sided after six weeks together. And I win."

"You don't win because I'm not in love."

"Methinks the lady doth protest overmuch." Shaking my head I left before her insanity could have a chance to infect me.

After that day, I made more of an effort to seek Danica out. We still spent most of our time together in public, because I wasn't sure Danica would welcome being alone with me. I mulled over, considered, and dismissed my sister's words almost hourly until they were a running commentary in my head and I analyzed everything I said and did. I also often felt eyes on my back which while not unfamiliar was bit unsettling. I didn't know who was keeping such a constant watch on me until I was ambushed on my way to the market one afternoon.

I hurriedly turned a corner and a figure emerged from the shadows. "Zane," a woman's voice whispered barely louder than a breath and then there were arms around my neck. I struggled for a moment until I recognized the woman as Adelina my guard and former lover. I thought I had loved her once but when our lips met I felt nothing and tried to push her away. She still clung tightly to me and admittedly I was not fighting very hard. It had been so long since I had been this close to someone and my skin craved the nearness.

**Sorry this is so late, and cookies to everyone who stuck with me this long. Also, I like to reply to reviews, but a lot of you have private messages blocked….why? Anyways, thanks for reading, hope you enjoy and criticism is always appreciated. **


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